Former Ashburnham-Westminster superintendent dies in fall

Michael Zapantis, former longtime superintendent of the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District, died in a fall Tuesday, Superintendent Ralph Hicks confirmed last night.

Mr. Hicks had scant details on the circumstances of Mr. Zapantis' death; the former superintendent lived in Beverly with his wife, Diane.

“We're all pretty shook up,” he said.

Mr. Zapantis was hired to lead the district in 2003, and served until June 2011, when he retired at age 60. Michael Christianson served on the school committee for Mr. Zapantis' entire tenure, and considered him a good friend.

“He was a genuinely nice guy,” Mr. Christianson said last night. “He was the kind of person you learned something from every day.”

He said he had lunch with Mr. Zapantis three weeks ago, and said he was under the impression he was enjoying his retirement, although he still kept busy. Mr. Christianson said Mr. Zapantis taught classes at American International College's Beverly campus, and was part of a consulting and strategic planning firm with a group of former superintendents.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Zapantis leaves two sons and a granddaughter, Mr. Christianson said.

Mr. Christianson, current chairman of the regional school committee, said Mr. Zapantis, the second-longest serving superintendent in the district's history, came to the district under difficult circumstances. He said the district was suffering economically, and had gone through a series of failed overrides. But over the course of his tenure Mr. Zapantis brought the two communities together, helping the district through its fiscal programs and stabilizing Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System scores.

Some of Mr. Zapantis' accomplishments include starting a full-day kindergarten program; initiating a curriculum renewal cycle for updating curriculum materials and professional development in a timely manner; initiating the feasibility and schematic design study for the J.R. Briggs Elementary School; and helping to start an education foundation.

In addition to his administrative accomplishments, he maintained high visibility in the community, Mr. Christianson said.

“He was known for being everywhere all the time,” Mr. Christianson said.

“He was very active in both towns, from going to football games to plays to the Lions and Rotary Club, he was just a community guy.”